Monrovia, Liberia – Senator Abraham Darius Dillon of Montserrado County has reacted to Labor Minister, Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah allegation linking him (Senator Dillon) to a continuous Work Permit advocacy to personal gain, as childish and dangerous politic. Senator Dillon said on a local talk show in Monrovia on Monday, July 7, 2025, that the Labor Minister had purposefully broken the Decent Work Act by hiring foreigners for Liberian jobs. He also said that as senators, they would keep pushing for jobs in the private sector that Liberians are eligible for.
Additionally, the Senator claimed that Minister Kruah granted work permits to over 10,000 non-Liberians and that he took over a month to bring the list when asked to do so, indicating an evil scheme. Later, the senate discovered tat the Minister had granted work permits without exercising due diligence.
He said, the Senate will insist that no active work permit be renewed, adding that as it is already a contract, the present active work permit cannot be removed.
“Once we received the work permit fees, it’s a contract. The only way it can be revoked or expired before it time line, is when you deceived the country. Where a person took plumber work permit but doing a manager job. All of the ten thousand work permit are jobs that Liberian can do. It was shown and justify by the Civil Service boss,” Dillon stated.
Senator Dillon, “I voted and confirmed Minister Kruah, he was not a Bassa-man, neither Kru, but when I asked him how is the job going he is talking about tribe. Now, his poor performance on the job should not be use as Dillon is running after Nimba people. I confirmed Post Minister from Nimba and all those from Nimba nominated by President Joseph N. Boakai’s. Weather you are from rescue Mission or not, our oversight will have to work,” the Montserrado County Narrated.
He stated that Minister Kruah will not be Minister at a today’ end when the Senate digs more into labor-related matters. The Senator alleged that Labor Minister is giving work permit on waver, which violate the law.
“When the Minister claimed to have inherited the 7,000 work permit, I instructed the Senate to issue a vote of no confidence in him. He increased it to 10 thousand now. The work permit ended, so there isn’t an active work permit from the Weah administration,” Dillon said.
Senator Dillon urged the Minister to stop generating cash at the cost of Liberians and clarified that the Minister shouldn’t use $1,000 work permit fees to deny Liberians employment, which he termed as a significant issue.
“Where in the Budget Law or line that tell the Minister to go and raise ten million from work permit? There are other avenue to raise money. We want to give our people equal pay for equal work. Western Cluster and Bea Mountain, the Minister of Labor five months ago told the senate at a public hearings that the company have one hundred driver operating heavy duty equipment. Fifty-five are non Liberian and forty-five are Liberian. The Minister told us that there was no Liberian to operate the equipment for which Liberian was not awarded the entire job. Now, the pay grade between Liberian and foreigners is very far and inequality is high,” he noted.
He characterized his advocacy as a fight for a fair price because Chapter 45 of the Decent Work Act of Liberia clarifies everything, including the first right opportunity for Liberians. The law requires that a job be advertised and that no Liberian be qualified for it before granting a one-year work permit to foreigners, something he claimed has never been done.
“Most time our people say the government and our lawmakers are not doing anything for us. It’s because they are not working, and they can’t find job. We create the environment for the job and then we the very government or any branch thereof can’t allow to give the job out. This appear to our people as though we are not creating job,” Dillon said.
